As Saruman begins his attack on Rohan the Ladies of Light arrive in Rohan on
foot. Have they arrived in time?
_ _ _

Shi had not planned on fallng asleep. Nor had many of the others, but sleep
had come to all of them save Arwen, who kept watch for them all. It had been
mid morning when the Ladies of Light had paused under the small stand of
trees, it was late afternoon when an embarrised Shi woke up.

Arwen's smile quickly faded as she caught a hint of air from a light breeze
and saw a small cloud of dust far off into the distance.

"Orcs!" Arwen shouted as she fitted an arrow into her bow.

"In daylight?" Shi asked, but knew that Arwen was right.

"Raiding party, anywhere from 30 to 50," Arwen continued, "We should be able
to handle them. Well, you could save us the trouble by yourself if we weren't
trying to keep from being noticed."

"You think they smell bad now, you should get a whiff of roast Orc," Shi
joked, "Not a pleasent odor."

Except for Galadriel, Lorelei, and Urchin the Ladies of Light were fresh from
their long nap. Most were eager for a fight.

"I have a plan," Queen Rena said, " This praire is much like the land of the
Zuni."

"I'm open to all plans, but we don't have much time," Shi said.

"An ambush. Tara, Mara, and Urchin are our fastest and most acrobatic
members, they're the bait," Rena said, "This grass is tall, easy to hide in.
Arwen, Willow, and Krista, hide off to the right with their bows, Serena,
Emi, and Ky to the left with their bows. Shi, Yasmina and I will be in the
center, hidden behind the trees. When the Orcs walk in, Tara, Mara, and
Urchin pretend to flee. Urchin, you go far to the rear, that's where I want
Galadriel and Lorelei to protect you. Mara, you fight well from trees, and
Tara will join Yasmina, Shi and myself. We should have better than half of
them before we even have to go hand to hand."

"Why not just let me get them with a couple of fireballs," Lorelei asked.

"And any chance of sneaking into Mordor undetected," the normally quiet Mara
said.

"Why does everyone get to fight but me," Urchin pouted.

Urchin was very surprised when Vicki grabbed her pointed ear and dragged her
to the edge of the trees away from the others.

"Owwwww! Owwwww," Urchin yelped.

Once out of earshot Shi let go and set Urchin down on a stump. Urchin looked
at Shi upset, like a little puppy dog, as she rubbed her ear.

"I'm sorry Urchin," Shi said with head bowed, "I love you more than I ever
thought it possible to love someone. But you are my daughter now, and I will
do anything to protect you. Urchin, killing someone, even an Orc, isn't fun.
It's not glorious, it's not heroic. Taking a life, any life is a terrible
thing."

"But they're evil," Urchin whined.

"Urchin," Shi said cupping the girl'sface gently, "I have killed hundreds of
Orcs and dozens of evil men. Killing doesn't make you feel brave. It makes
you feel dirty. Sometimes it has to be done, like now, but the shame, the
pain, the knowing that you ended the hopes and dreams of that being. That
being will never have a chance to laugh or love again. Their children will
have no father, their wives no husband. Orcs have differant values than we
do, but they feel pain, they bleed, they die. Do you understand."

"I-I think I do," Urchin said.

Shi kissed Urchin on the forehead, and taking her by the hand they rejoined
the others who were already in position. Urchin was so confused, but loved
Shi all the more despite the ear pull. To think that her new mother even felt
for the enemy!

* * *

Orcs are not noted for intelligence. Seeing 2 half elf girls and a near nude
human girl, playing, only a few visible weapons, the fierce Uruk's thought
with their groins. Without a thought, some of them even dropped their swords,
the uber-orcs charged. Letting out a few fake squels, Urchin's was real, the
trio seemed to turn and run.

"Now!" Rena shouted.

Six arrows flew, 6 Uruk's fell, 5 dead, 1 critical. Krista cursed as hers
was the arrow that didn't kill. Six more arrows flew downing another 6 Orcs.
Those 6 were all dead. The women got off the third flight as the Orc's
finally got it in their thick skulls that they were trapped. Six more died,
folowed by a seventh as Rena stepped out and threw one of her javelins right
through the Uruk's armor into his black heart.

Orcs were not great at military stratigy either. The typical Orc tactic was
a full frontal assault with overwelming numbers. Being surrounded on 3 sides
caused them to attack individually in every direction at once. Easy pickings
for the Ladies of Light. Two came right at Arwen, and died from 2 more of her
arrows.

Krista had no time to fire another arrow as an Orc chraged her, but she had
laid her spear beside her and now siezed it and braced the butt of it into
the ground. The Orc impaled himself. Willow threw 2 of her otomahawks. Each
buried deep in a Orc head as she drew her her hand otomahawk and split the
skull of a third. Another javelin from Queen Rena flew liting an Uruk off his
feet and crashing down to the ground dead.

Serena got another one with an arrow. Emitalia had droped her bow and drew
both her swords. Slashing right with the katana she decapitated an Uruk,
then thrust the shorter wakazashi into another Orc's stomich. Kymora also
got another one with an arrow before she was forced to draw her sword. The
shock of blocking the huge Uruk's sword rattled her arms, but Kymora was
amazon. Kicking the Orc in the balls she then sliced his head off as he
dropped to his knees.

An even dozen continued to charge forward as the others seemed lost. Serena
and Arwen shot another one each of the Orcs who were now crazed with fear and
hate. Krista was forced to abandon her spear as it was lodged too deep in the
Orc's body. Drawing her sword and grasping her shield she ran towards her
friend Kymora who was being hard pressed by 2 more Uruks. Back to back they
soon finished off the pair of brutes.

Shi frowned as the 12 Orcs were coming right for where Rena, Tara, Mara,
and she was. If the Orcs got past them they would have a clear path right
to where Galadriel, Lorelei, and Urchin where. Shi was determined that
they would not pass. Mara had leaped into a tree and waited for a chance
to pounce. Two of the charging Uruks were soon right where she wanted them.

Leaping to a lower branch Mara swung and kicked both of the huge Orcs sending
them to the ground. Drawing her knife Mara stabbed the first one in the heart
and slit the second ones throat as he tried to rise. Rena's shield punch with
the long Zuni shield took an Orc by surprise. Rena thrust her short spear
deep into his chest. Tara threw 6 knives with deadly aim. Three Orcs fell
dead, a 4th was on his knees clutching at the knife in his stomich, and with
a knife in each knee.

Shi had tapped the butt end of her trick staff activating the long spear
stilletto in the end. Shi stabbed one, then spun around and sliced another
Uruk's throat. But 3 of the Orcs had indeed had gotten past them.

"NO!!" Shi screamed

For all her power Galadriel was inexperianced in combat. Galadriel knew
spells that could turn entire armys of Orcs into puppy chow. Thinking of the
first spell that she could Galadriel created a temporal vortex that sucked
one of the Orcs into another time, another place. The same vortex brought a
woman from that time and place there, but at that second no one noticed her.

The last 2 went after Urchin. Lorelei tried to stop them but the biggest one
caught her with the flat of his sword, knocking her to the ground. Urchin
threw one of her otamahawks. The otamahawk buried itself into the Uruk's
face. At the ripe of old age of 17 (it was her birthday, but Urchin didn't
know it) Urchin had killed for the first time. Urchin drew her short sword,
but the Orc knocked her sword away, also sending the small girl hard into a
tree. Urchin screamed in terror as the Orc lifted his sword.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Shi ran to help her daughter and
was blocked by 3 Orc's. Shi spun, spun again, and all 3 were dead. The Orc
trying to kill Urchin smiled as his sword came down. Then his head exploded.
Jenny rose and saw only 2 of the monster ones that weren't dead or dying and
quickly shot both of them.

Shi scooped up and hugged Urchin fiercely. Mara, Rena, and Kymora quickly
finished off the 4 wounded Orcs. Lorelei sat up and rubbed her head, angry
at herself. She had failed to protect Urchin. Lorelei was the only one that
hadn't gotten any of the Uruk's. Arwen helped her up.

"Are you okay?" Arwen asked.

"No I'm not okay. I've seen combat before, I could have turned that Orc to
jelly, instead I froze and almost got Urchin killed," Lorelei said, pissed
at herself.

Jenny had no idea what any of them were saying. It wasn't English, and Jenny
was fluent in Spanish as well, could pass in Sioux, and knew some Comanche
and Apache. 'Wait a minute, do some of these women have pointed ears?' Jenny
thought as she started to take in the fact that the only ones standing were
women. Jenny did a quick count.

She saw Willow and for a second thought she might be part of the Comanche
raiding party she had just escaped from. But the markings and style of dress
looked vaugely Sioux, although a tribe that Jenny had never heard of. Jenny
took the time to reload, loading 6. Smart gunfighters usually loaded 5,
keeping the 6th as a safety. Jenny usually loaded 5, but she wasn't sure just
where she was, or if more of those things they had fought were still around.

Jenny wished that she could understand what all of these beautiful women were
saying. Despite obvious racial and cultural differances the other women all
spoke the same language, albeit when the ones with pointed ears spoke it
sounded lighter, prettier somehow. And the curiousity factor was there as
well. The women had fought and defeated those ugly things using swords and
bows. 'Just like those old storys I read about in school,' Jenny thought.

Galadriel smiled at her a spoke a simple translation spell as Shi walked over
to Jenny and extended her hand.

"Thank you for saving my daughters life," Shi said clasping Jenny's forearm
with her hand.

"Um, you're welcome," Jenny replied as she now understood what everyone was
saying.

Jenny had actually read somwhere that the forearm clasp was a medieval
handshake/greeting and returned it.

"You are probably wondering where you are, and who we are," Shi smiled.

"Well, it sure ain't Texas," Jenny grinned, any doubts she had about being on
the right side were vanishing.

"I'm Shi Lung," Shi said, "I am pleased to meet you Texas."

"No, my name is Jenny, Jenny James," Jenny grinned, "I was in Texas when that
hole in the air appeared."

The women all introduced themselves. Jenny found herself liking them all.
Jenny was curious about the things she had shot.

"They are called Uruk Hai, a stronger branch of the Orc race," Tara
explained, "Regular Orcs are smaller and weaker, and usually pretty cowardly.
Then there are Goblins, which are almost the same race as Orcs."

"And yes, they are as evil as they look," Serena said, "The ones we just
fought serve Saruman, a once great wizard who has tured to evil and now is
allied with the ultimate evil Sauron."

"Okay, I'm lost already," Jenny said.

"I think my grandmother should tell you," Arwen smiled.

"Huh? Well, where does the old woman live?," Jenny asked.

"I'm right here," Galadriel laughed.

"No way," Jenny said disbelieving as she looked at the beautiful woman.

"Yes, way," Galadriel laughed.

Galadriel then began the tale of Sauron and the one ring. Jenny listened
intently, not beliving much of it, until Shi turned into a dragon and Serena
took her swan form. Tasting a piece of lembas and finding herself full after
a single bite. These things and more began to convince Jenny that she was not
crazy.

Galadriel then told her of their quest to destroy the one ring and thus save
Middle Earth.

"It's hard to believe any of this," Jenny said.

"You've never seen real magic, have you?" Lorelei asked as she guessd the
truth," I wonder if it even exists where you are from. Perhaps all you've
ever seen are tricksters and their slight of hand."

"A woman who turns into a swan, another who turns into a dragon, elves, holes
that appear out of thin air, where I am from those are fairy tales. Stories
told to little children," Jenny said softly, "But this is real isn't it? I
really am somewhere else."

"Oh this is very real," Arwen said, "And if we lose, this world will suffer
terror and horror beyond belief."

* * *

A Comanche warrior picked up the discarded Winchester Jenny had left. It was
a fine weapon, well worth he trouble, even though the woman had seemingly
vanished. It was too bad about the horse. Just then the lost Uruk yelled and
charged at him with sword raised. The brave instinctively tried to block the
sword strike with the rifle.

The rifle was sliced and damaged beyond repair, but it had saved the brave,
even though the force knocked him to the ground. The Uruk raised his sword
again but was shot by 6 other Comanche warriors. Tales would be told about
a white woman who became a demon.

* * *

It was 2 days of walking later when Arwen and Mara scouting ahead had seen
signs of a large party of Orcs, perhaps as many as 300. They were on foot and
heading back to Isengard, but they were being pursued by riders. Since they
were heading the other way, towards Edoras, the Ladies of Light simply
continued on.

Later that day Willow reported smoke behind them. A battle was taking place,
far away from them, perhaps 30 miles. Jenny was fitting in well with the
other women. Her tales about America seemed as magical to many of them as
their storys did to her. Urchin was especially curious about how they got by
without a king.

It amused Jenny as she tried to explain the concept of a president and
choosing your leaders.

"The problem with kings is that whether they are good or bad you have to do
what they say as long as they live," Jenny told Urchin, Krista, Mara, Kymora,
and Tara as they walked together, "Even if you get a good king how do you
know if his son will then be a good king. That's why you have so many bad
kings. In America, if the president is bad the people can vote him out of
office every 4 years. Most of our presidents have been pretty good,
especially Washington, Jefferson, and poor Mr. Lincoln."

"Who was Mr. Lincoln?" Urchin asked.

"He was the one who freed the slaves and ended slavery in America," Jenny
spoke fondly of her memories as a little girl, when her father, then a
soldier in the Union army had held her 11 year old hand as they had travelled
400 miles to hear President Lincoln speak at Gettysburg.

"He sounds like a great man. What happened to him?" Urchin innocently asked,
fascinated.

"He was murdered," Jenny sadly said, "But we still have his dream. And
slavery is no more."

The idea of a world without slavery seemed wonderful, but pretty far out to
the Ladies of Light, but Jenny was silent about the great and terrible war it
had took to end it.

"There isn't a lot of cover to take," Shi said, looking at the flat
grasslands, "Besides, the Riders of Rohan are allies, even though they may
not know us. And after all, we are simply a party of mere women. Hoods up,
especiially ladies with pointy ears."

Soon a large party of horsemen, 105 of them could be seen. With them were
17 riderless horses, only 3 of which bore saddles. They were tall and fair,
reminding Jenny very much of Vikings.

"We need those horses," Shi said.

It was obvious that they could easily be seen so Shi waved to the riders.
But the Ladies of Light also had their weapons ready. Bows were fitted with
arrows, swords were drawn, Jenny's again loaded 6.

"Keep your weapons down, but ready," Arwen said, "The men of the Rohan are
gallant and true, but like most men want to keep us in the kitchen."

The Riders had indeed spotted them and rode towards them. The Ladies of Light
had not expected them to surround them wth spears pointed right at them. Shi
nodded at Arwen to do the talking for them. Arwen quickly discerned their
leader.

"The gallantry of the Rohirrim is less if they now point spears at women,"
Arwen calmly said.

"These are dangerous times and desperate tidings milady," the leader said,
"War is coming, though not yet declared. Orcs have been raiding outlying
villages and have even dared steal horses of the Mark. We have just came
from a battle against 300 of them, many of them the foul breed of Saruman.
And also did we see signs of a battle where another 50 were slain, though
by who we know not."

"That was our doing," Arwen said.

"Yours? A small group of women?" the leader scoffed.

"This is a hand picked team of champions from the tournemnt of Dracul," Shi
spoke up, "I am Shi Lung of Chin. I lead, but Arwen speaks now for me since
I am unfamiliar with your ways. We are on a mission against the Dark Lord
Sauron. And we are blessed by the Lady of Lorien."

"It seems that I have spoken in haste milady," the leader said, "I myself won
'horse spear' at the tournement last year. Ah, but these are strange days
indeed. So, the rumors are true that the Lady of the Golden Wood exists. They
say that she is a witch of terrible power and that none escape from her
alive."

"That's a lie!," Urchin yelled, her hands in little fists, "She is beautiful
and good and kind you-you meanie!"

The leader threw his head back and laughed heartily. Many of his men also
could not keep from laughter or broad grins.

"The pup barks loudly," the leader said, "She has a true heart, but she is no
champion, why is this child among you?"

"She is my adopted daughter, and but 2 days ago faced and killed an Orc," Shi
spoke up, "There is nowhere safer for her than with her friends, and she has
skills that may be useful to us later on."

"And by what manner do you know of the Lady? The way from Dracul does not
pass through the Golden Wood."

"If you knew of her you would not be so quick to judge her," Arwen said.

"I can speak for myself," Galadriel said discarding the shapeless robe and
hood she wore.

All the men gasped at the sight of her. Galadriel had that effect on most.

"I am the Lady," Galadriel said, "Do I look evil? Or would horns on top of my
head make you more comfortable?"

"Forgive me milady," the leader slightly bowed, "You are indeed fair, and I
sense no evil in you. If you have chosen to partake in this quest it speaks
well. Know that Eomer son of Eomund, Third Marshall of Riddermark asks for
your pardon."

"So, the gallantry of the Rohirrim does still exist," Galadriel said with a
slight bow.

"It does, though some, even in the court of our lord, good King Theoden,
would have it otherwise," Eomer said, "In not so faraway days gone by our
greetings of strangers to our land was more, hospitable."

"These are perilous days," Arwen said, "And Rohan is trapped between Mordor
and Isengard even as they wish to aid their long time allies of Gondor."

"Perilous days indeed milady," Eomer answered, "War is as yet undeclared and
yet it is upon us. The Mark needs to rise up and yet because of some I am all
but outlaw for daring to rescue villages from raiding Orcs and to avenge the
theft of our horses. Three men did I lose in this latest attack. Good men
they were."

"My lord, do you not notice that these women do be on foot," Lt. Falco spoke
up, "How came they here from far off Dracul?"

"We lost our mounts upon our arrival in the land of Rohan," Arwen lied, "Even
caution can sometimes fail to fatigue and ill luck. We had planned to journey
to Edoras in an attempt to purchase mounts."

Lying was not something that any elf liked. The lie had almost choked Arwen
and she felt foul, but it had served it's purpose as Eomer, Lt. Falco and
many others nodded assent.

"While our own need for good horses is great," Eomer said, "The needs of
your company are greater. Riders of the Mark cannot allow fellow warriors to
trudge on foot. I will not ask you of the mission you are on. For to have
come so far and for the Lady to chose to be among you your mission must be
grave indeed. One request do I have however."

"Name it, and if it be within our power we shall do it," Shi said.

"Tis a simple request milady of Chin," Eomer said, "My sister Eowyn is in
Edoras, speak to her and tell her that I am well. She is niece of King
Theoden and a Shield Maiden of Rohan. Tell her that I must protect my people
even if others feel not so."

"It shall be as you ask," Shi bowed.

Lt. Falco, a good man and true, personally led the extra horses to where
the women now stood. Choosing 15 of the spare mounts, Lt. Falco suggested a
gentle but strong and swift mare for Urchin, the women mounted. Thanking
Eomer they again turned south. Towards Edoras!

* * *

The ride to Edoras was quick, taking only 2 days and a few hours of a third
day. Arriving in mid-morning the Ladies of Light saw much that suggessted war
was upon them. Weapons were being made, provisions were being gathered, but
the Rohirrim that they met seemed, well, frustrated by King Theoden's
inaction.

The appearance of a band of warrior women caused only a slight stir since
they were such a small band. Shi had slagged 3 of her scales the night
before, shaping them into small gold bars so they would have more than
enough money to buy whatever supplies they would need for the next part of
their journey.

"Having a gold dragon around can be quite useful," Tara said to Jenny.

"I am still getting used to all of this," Jenny said, "If Shi had been a part
of the Union army, Richmond would have fallen in a week."

"You speak sometimes of 'Unions' and 'Johnny Rebs' and of many things that
are just as strange to us," Yasmina said, "And then there are your magic
weapons. I have only seen you use them once and that only little, but they
were so devastating. Right through the thick armor of Uruk Hai with such a
small hole."

"It's not magic, just good old American firearms," Jenny said.

"A-mer-rica," Willow said, "That sounds so similar to the land I live in."

"Same continant, same country," Jenny sadly said, "Only differance is a few
thousand years I think. And my people are not treating yours very well. I
lived a winter with the Lakota Sioux. And well, come spring a lot of people
I cared about got massacred."

"But if your people and mine are at war, why would you choose to live with
mine," Willow asked.

"A man?" Yasmina asked.

"Hell no!" Jenny shouted, then realized what she might have revieled and bit
her lip.

Several of the women laughed.

"Um, what's so funny?" Jenny asked surprised.

"We were wondering if you were a girl lover like all the rest of us," Lorelei
laughed.

"You mean, that all of you, um, you are all, um, lesbians?" Jenny asked
hopefully.

"Yep, we're lesbians," Serena smiled, "Well, when we finaly let Urchin join
then all of us will be."

"Oh, I have been wanting to be other women like me for so long," Jenny shyly
smiled, "That's why when I met 'Little Wild One' I was so happy."

"Was she among those killed?" Willow asked.

"No, thank goodness she was one of the few who escaped, but we were
seperated," Jenny said, sadness creeping back in, "Last I heard she had made
it to Canada, but her father forced her to marry a 'yuck' man."

Shi called a halt at an inn.

"Okay, I think we need to split into 3 groups," Shi said, "Tara, Serena,
Willow, Mara, and Urchin need to stay here, get us rooms and see that the
horses are taken care of. The Rohirrim know that we are on Rohan mounts,
best to show them that we do take care of them. Krista, Kymora, Jenny,
Yasmina, and Lorelei, go buy whatever supplies you might think we need.
Maybe get a couple of extra draft horses or mules if we can. It's a long
way to Mordor and this is our last chance to stock up on supplies. I need
our royalty to come with me to fulfill our debt to Lord Eomer."

'I kind of got that,' Jenny thought amused. Just because she wasn't from that
time didn't mean she couldn't tell who was left. As the women seperated Shi
called Willow over to her.

"Willow, do you love Urchin?," Shi asked.

"Yes, yes I do," Willow truthfully answered.

"I think my daughter is in love with you as well," Shi said, "Galadriel
believes that Urchin is now of legal age. You are the closest in age to her
as well. I will talk to Urchin, and if she wants to, you can start teaching
her kissing and petting. Perhaps you will even be her first. Maybe eventually
even her wife."

"I would like that very much," Willow smiled.

Willow and Urchin shyly looked at each other. It was obvious that they were
in love.

end of chapter 5:
_ _ _

I know! I know! Another chapter without sex! Blame Tyval, his story ideas are
too damn good I can't leave them out. Well over half of this chapter is his.
But hopefully next chapter we can fit a scene or 2 in now that Willow and
Urchin are an item, and Jenny is not one to be shy about how she feels.
Please stay with us. This story may run 20 chapters and there will eventually
be lots of sex.

Oh, and Special give Urchin a name contest! Submit a name for Urchin to
choose, or she could even stay with Urchin! This will give us Reader
Participation! Already had one vote for 'Amber'. Winning handles will be
credited!

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with the title heading "TSSA Story Submission"